Lizzie Douglas was born on June 3, 1897 in Algiers, Louisiana. She was the eldest from her 13 other siblings. Her parents Abe and Gertrude Douglas nicknamed her the Kid during her early childhood. At the age of 7 she and her family moved to Walls, Mississippi, which was just south of Memphis. The following year after she moved, she received her first guitar for Christmas. She began to practice and learn how to play both the banjo and the guitar and it was seen that she had a great talent as a musician. When she first began performing she did not use her first name Lizzie, but played under the name Kid Douglas. When she was 13 years old she ran away from her home to live on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She would play on street corners for most of her teenage years and would eventually go home when she ran out of money. She began to get noticed singing and playing guitar on the street corners. This brought an opportunity for her to tour, travel, and play with the Ringling Brothers Circus. Eventually she came back to Beale Street and got consumed in the blues scene. At the time, women, whiskey, and cocaine were high in demand with the people and places she would be around. She made her money by playing guitar, singing, and prostitution, which was not uncommon at the time. Most of the female performers were prostitutes because of financial desperation. It was said “She received $12 for her services-an outrageous fee for the time.” (Memphis Minnie Biography,1). She was known as a woman that was very strong and that could take care of herself.
She had been married three times in her life; first with Will Weldon sometime in the 1920s, then Joe McCoy (1929–1934), and finally to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe), in 1939. She and McCoy would perform together during their marriage. During this time, a talent scout from Columbia Records discovered her. When she and McCoy went to record in New York, she decided to change her name to Memphis Minnie. During the next few years she and McCoy released many singles and duets. She released the song “Bumble Bee” in 1930, which ended up being one of her favorite songs, and led her to a recording contract with the label Vocalion. Under this label, they continued to produce recording for two years, one of them being “I’m Talking About You”, which was one of her more popular songs. They soon decided to leave Vocalion and move to Chicago. She and McCoy introduced country blues to the urban environment and became very well known.
Memphis Minnie continued to have success throughout the years recording under many different labels like Decca Records and Chess Records. Some believe her fame was the reason for her divorce with McCoy due to jealousy and resentment towards her. She remarried after to Earnest Lawlars (a.k.a. Little Son Joe) and began recording material with him. She became very well known in the blues industry and ended up being one of the most famous blues performers of all time, competing with both men and women.
She continued to record throughout the 50’s, but her health began to become a problem for her. She retired from her musical career and ended up going back to Memphis. “Periodically, she would appear on Memphis radio stations to encourage young blues musicians. As the Garons wrote in Women With Guitar, 'She never laid her guitar down, until she could literally no longer pick it up.'” She suffered a stroke in 1960, which caused her to be bound by wheelchair. The following year her husband, Earnest “Little Son Joe” Lawlars died. She had another stroke a short while after and eventually ended up in the Jell Nursing Home. She could no longer survive on her social security income so magazines wrote about her and readers sent her money for assistance. On August 6, 1973 she died of a stroke. She was buried in an unmarked grave at the New Hope Cemetery in Memphis. A headstone paid for by Bonnie Raitt was erected by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund on October 13, 1996 with 35 family members in attendance including her sister, numerous nieces (including Laverne Baker) and nephews. Her headstone is marked:
Lizzie "Kid" Douglas Lawlers
aka Memphis Minnie
The inscription on the back of her gravestone reads:
"The hundreds of sides Minnie recorded are the perfect material to teach us about the blues. For the blues are at once general, and particular, speaking for millions, but in a highly singular, individual voice. Listening to Minnie's songs we hear her fantasies, her dreams, her desires, but we will hear them as if they were our own."
After her death some of her old work began to surface and some of her songs were featured on blues compilations. She was one of the first 20 blues artists that were inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame.
Hoodoo Lady
Memphis Minnie Lyrics
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They tell me you take a boot and turn it to a brand new shoe
But don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
Hoodoo lady, you can turn water to wine I been wondering where have you been all this time
I'm setting here, broke, and I ain't got a dime
You ought to put something in these dukes of mine
But don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
(spoken: Boy, you better watch it 'cause she's tricky)
Hoodoo lady, I want you to unlock my door
So I can get in and get all my clothes
But don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
Now look-a here, hoodoo lady, I want you to treat me right
Bring my man back home but don't let him stay all night
And don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
(spoken: Boy, she's tricky as she can be. Better watch her, too
Why look-a here, hoodoo lady, I'm your friend
When you leave this time, come back again
But don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
Don't put that thing on me
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
The song "Hoodoo Lady" by Memphis Minnie is a blues song that speaks about the eponymous hoodoo lady, an African-American practitioner of folk magic. The lyrics describe the singer's relationship with the hoodoo lady, with him being skeptical of her powers but seeking her help nonetheless. He acknowledges her ability to make new shoes out of old boots and to turn water to wine, and he asks her to unlock his door so he can retrieve his clothes. He also asks her to bring back his man but not let him stay all night.
Throughout the song, there is a repeated warning to the hoodoo lady not to "put that thing" on him, possibly referring to placing a curse or spell on him. The singer expresses a desire to return to Tennessee, which could be seen as a possible escape from the hoodoo lady's influence. The song ends with the singer asking the hoodoo lady to return again in the future, but again warning her not to place any spells on him.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hoodoo Lady" convey a sense of cautious awe towards hoodoo magic and its practitioners. The repeated warnings to avoid the hoodoo lady's spells suggest a belief in their potency while also indicating a fear of being negatively affected by them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hoodoo lady, how do you do?
Greetings, mystical woman of hoodoo magic. How do you fare?
They tell me you take a boot and turn it to a brand new shoe
I have heard rumors that you possess the power to transform a worn-out boot into a new shoe.
But don't put that thing on me
However, please do not attempt to use this magic on me.
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
For I have decided to return to my home state of Tennessee.
Hoodoo lady, you can turn water to wine
I have also heard that you are capable of performing a miracle, turning water into wine.
I been wondering where have you been all this time
I have been curious about your absence and whereabouts during my time of need.
You ought to put something in these dukes of mine
It would be much appreciated if you could provide some help or assistance to my empty pockets.
(spoken: Boy, you better watch it 'cause she's tricky)
(Spoken by an unknown person) Beware of her wiles, she is a skillful and cunning trickster.
Hoodoo lady, I want you to unlock my door
I require your services to open my locked door, so I can access my clothing and possessions.
So I can get in and get all my clothes
Once the door is unlocked, I would like to retrieve all of my clothing and personal belongings.
Now look-a here, hoodoo lady, I want you to treat me right
I have a request to make of you, powerful hoodoo woman. Please treat me fairly and justly.
Bring my man back home but don't let him stay all night
I require you to use your magic to bring my partner back to me, but I request that he not stay overnight.
(spoken: Boy, she's tricky as she can be. Better watch her, too)
(Spoken by an unknown person) Beware of her deceptions, she is extremely cunning and sly.
Why look-a here, hoodoo lady, I'm your friend
As a friendly conversationalist, I wish to identify myself as your ally and companion, hoodoo lady.
When you leave this time, come back again
I hope that when you depart, you will return to visit me again in the future.
'Cause I'm going back to Tennessee
But regardless of what happens, I have already decided to return to my home state of Tennessee.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MCCOY MINNIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind